Photo: Steve Garvie from Dunfermline, Fife, Scotland / CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Chestnut-fronted Helmetshrike
Prionops scopifrons
Chestnut-fronted Helmetshrike (Prionops scopifrons) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of Africa.
Found across 2 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Chestnut-fronted Helmetshrike (Prionops scopifrons) is a member of the Vangidae family found in Africa. Adults weigh 29.4 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Passeriformes
- Family Vangidae Vangas & Allies
- Genus Prionops
- Species scopifrons
Quick facts
- Weight
- 29.4 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Vangidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Endangered
Least Concern
Least Concern
Near Threatened
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Chestnut-fronted Helmetshrike is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of semi-open woodland, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Chestnut-fronted Helmetshrike is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Chestnut-fronted Helmetshrike (Prionops scopifrons) is a species of bird in the Vangidae family, part of the order Passeriformes. Its range spans Africa. Its distribution covers AF e, se.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 29.4 g, with a wing length of about 9.8 cm and a tail of around 8.1 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 795,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Chestnut-fronted Helmetshrike?
The Chestnut-fronted Helmetshrike is a small bird that weighs around 29.4 g.
Where does the Chestnut-fronted Helmetshrike live?
The Chestnut-fronted Helmetshrike is found across Africa with a range covering AF e, se, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Chestnut-fronted Helmetshrike belong to?
The Chestnut-fronted Helmetshrike (Prionops scopifrons) belongs to the Vangidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Chestnut-fronted Helmetshrike eat?
The Chestnut-fronted Helmetshrike is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Chestnut-fronted Helmetshrike migrate?
The Chestnut-fronted Helmetshrike is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Chestnut-fronted Helmetshrike endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Chestnut-fronted Helmetshrike make?
1 real field recording of the Chestnut-fronted Helmetshrike — including its song — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Chestnut-fronted Helmetshrike's range?
The Chestnut-fronted Helmetshrike has a mapped global range of about 795,000 km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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